School: Pingluo County Vocational Education Center
    Pingluo County , Ningxia, China

3 students, ages 14-16 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 20, 2015. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2014

Classes and Teachers: Yanyueqin,Shijing,Yinxu,Zhurong

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://nx000059.edu.17888.com

1. Description of Our Community

Ningxia is one of the cradles of Chinese culture, the silk road went through Ningxia Where became an important joint point of traffic and trade between west and east of China. As an area having the Yellow River flow through, Ningxia also has China’s ancient civilization.

Human beings lived in Ningxia from 3 thousand years age. A.D. 1038. The Western Xia Dynasty was build by Li Yuanhao, the leader of TangGu Te, and Xixia culture was formed. Ningxia is known as “Southern Frontier”. Yinchuan is the provincial seat of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Helan County, a county in the administrative area of the Yinchuan City,is located at the northern of Ningxia. Helan county was set up in the western Han Dynasty, called Lian County; Qing Yongzheng 2 years,called Ningxia County; in 1941, renamed Helan County.

By 2013, Helan County covers a total area of 1599 square kilometers, pop. 235,578, jurisdiction over the region 4 towns, 1 townships, 2 farms, 1 street committee.

2. Summary of Our Project

At present, with the increase of the industrial culture and the rapid steps of village urbanization, a lot of non-material cultural heritages have lost and flowed away. With the making of this subject, we want to carry forward the pursuit for spirit of shadow play by the shadow play family. We wish that our subject can enhance a better development of shadow play in Ningxia region, to make shadow play walk toward the whole world.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:none

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:none

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

The students of our school can only surf on internet in the computer room, and because of the large number of classes in our school and the time arrangement, we can only surf on line after school and at the time of self-study course at night, and our teacher needs to ask for leave for us to the teacher on duty.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

First, our schedule is very tight, we should start from 8:00 in the morning every day, 1,we have very tight schedule, and our classes begin from 8:00 in the morning and 17:30 in the afternoon. We are tired after class, and it is 18:30 when we have our dinner, and then we have to go to the self-study course at 19:30 at night. Teacher Yan also has very tight schedule, and Teacher Yan has four classes to teach every day. We and our teacher strive to finish our website overcoming various difficulties.

2, the interviewed target is far away from us, and we make use of the holidays for October Day for the interview. We have no definite information about him, and the names of different villages often different in just one word; therefore, we have to go unnecessary long way.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

As looking back, we experience so much. In order to make more people know shadow play, we make use of the spare time to do ppt to propagandize shadow play to show for schoolmates in different classes, to make more people know the knowledge of shadow play; we also make use of spare time to explain the knowledge about shadow play. Our teacher utilizes the computer course to tell the story of the shadow play artist Grandpa Zhang, and many schoolmates spontaneous join in the group of propaganda of shadow play art. We wish to spread the shadow play art to every corner of the world by our efforts.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

We take the Ningxia shadow play as the principal line in this time, integrating with disciplines such as history, geography, art, culture, computer and social contact, to make “shadow play” walk into our life. Because of the excitement and the happiness when my schoolmate watching shadow play on the computer originate from shadow play, as well as the support from the people at our side, when we visit, investigate and propagandize, we are deeply moved. We also know that without excellent teamwork and communication, we cannot play the role of “Publicizing Ambassador of Shadow Play”.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

Hardware: computer, digital camera

Software: Photoshop, Microsoft Word,Internet Explorer,ACDSee• In what ways did you act as 'ambassadors' and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

When entering into the home of Master Zhang Jinxu, we were dissatisfied when we were told that the master had passed away, but there was a turnaround then. Zhang Zhongqiu, his son, the successor of the master explained the knowledge of shadow play, and taught us how to perform shadow play. We admired very much that the five generations of his families can perform shadow play, and we began to learn the shadow play aristocratic family with the curiosity and the love to shadow play, in order to make shadow play better inherited.

We want to present the Chinese folk culture by the accomplishment of the webpage of the special research and the power of the International CyberFair, to make more Ningxia people have more understanding with shadow play, as well as pay attention to and inherit the Chinese folk culture.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

It makes us learn more about Ningxia folk culture: we went to interview Mr. Zhang for our special research. As the fifth generation of successor of shadow play, father of Mr. Zhang, Master Zhang Jinxu, utilized all the possible opportunities to impart the art to his three sons and daughter. They always played the role of “Spreaders of Non-heritage Culture and Art”, and insisted in the performance and the propaganda of shadow play art regardless if shadow play can bring them abundant income. By this special research, we know more about folk shadow play culture and we have confidence to make our website better, to make more people understand the folk shadow play by our website, and propagandize shadow play art with us, to make it spread to every corner of the world. The importance of understanding folk culture: on the aspect of the development of shadow play art, the role of Mr. Zhang is a spreader of folk shadow play, for example, he sometimes teaches the children of the neighbors and his daughter the knowledge of shadow play, and he participates in the performances in every temple fair nearby; all of these are for the development of shadow play.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

During the process of the special research, by the communication between Mr. Zhang and us, we see everything Mr. Zhang does for the heritage and development of Ningxia shadow play art, which makes us understand the importance of preservation and development of Chinese folk art, and makes us have further understanding about folk shadow play art. If everybody can make contribution to cultural inheritance, we will feel warmer in our heart. Come on, Mr. Zhang families! Come on, folk shadow play art!

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

When entering into the home of Master Zhang Jinxu, we were dissatisfied when we were told that the master had passed away, but there was a turnaround then. Zhang Zhongqiu, his son, the successor of the master explained the knowledge of shadow play, and taught us how to perform shadow play. We admired very much that the five generations of his families can perform shadow play, and we began to learn the shadow play aristocratic family with the curiosity and the love to shadow play, in order to make shadow play better inherited. We want to present the Chinese folk culture by the accomplishment of the webpage of the special research and the power of the International CyberFair, to make more Ningxia people have more understanding with shadow play, as well as pay attention to and inherit the Chinese folk culture.